After their starting pitchers had worked to an ERA of 7.71 over the last 10 games, tonight the O's got an effective start from Ubaldo Jimenez. But it still didn't lead to a win. Houston rookie George Springer continued his recent torrid hitting with a tie-breaking two-run homer in the seventh as Houston beat the Orioles 3-1 in the opener of a four-game series. The Orioles have lost eight of their last 12 and 12 of their last 18 games. Houston has won six in a row for the first time since...

HOUSTON - Ubaldo Jimenez had two clean innings for the Orioles tonight at Minute Maid Park - the first and the sixth. He finished the way he started, leaving the game with the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh. Jimenez didn't work past the fifth in his last two starts, but he retired the Astros in order in the sixth and left with his pitch count at 112 - six short of his season high. Jimenez allowed one run and three hits in six innings, with three walks eight strikeouts, a wild...

HOUSTON - Nick Markakis led off tonight's game with a single into center field, making him 21-for-51 (.412) in the first inning this season. Steve Pearce followed Markakis to the plate and flied to left field. Pearce is batting second to start a game for only the fourth time in his major league career. Manny Machado is hitting seventh for the 14th time in his career. Machado hadn't batted seventh or lower since the end of the 2012 season. "I'm trying to take advantage of Steve right...

HOUSTON - Orioles reliever Tommy Hunter has been throwing on flat ground for the past four days and could be ready to come off the disabled list when eligible on June 5. Assistant athletic trainer Brian Ebel is flying back to Baltimore for his son's graduation, "and he's going to pick up Tommy's rehab a little bit there," said manager Buck Showalter. "Tommy's been on flat ground for four days. He feels good. I'm going to let Brian kind of handle that once he gets there about when he...

HOUSTON - Matt Wieters is set to begin a throwing progression on Friday, when he's scheduled to pick up a ball and do some light tossing for the first time since going on the disabled list. Wieters hasn't caught since May 4 and hasn't played since May 10 due to a right elbow strain. "We've got a whole throwing program, but the trainers know it better than I can. If everything goes well, we're going to pick up a ball tomorrow," Wieters said. "Every movement that gets me back toward...

HOUSTON - Steve Pearce gets the start in left field tonight, as the Orioles begin a four-game series against the Astros at Minute Maid Park. He'll bat second, while Manny Machado slides down to the seventh spot. Nelson Cruz is serving as the designated hitter, and Ryan Flaherty is starting at second base. David Lough is the only current Oriole who has faced Astros starter Brad Peacock, going 1-for-2 against him, but he's on the bench. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Steve Pearce LF Adam...

HOUSTON - Dylan Bundy threw three innings today at extended spring training. He will throw a bullpen session on Saturday and graduate to four innings next week. Bundy didn't allow a hit in his start against the Twins in Fort Myers. He walked three batters and struck out four. "I wasn't getting ahead in the count," he said. "I walked the first guy in each inning. That's not good at all. I've got to get my command and go after hitters. Get ahead in the count and get better...

The Orioles begin a four-game series in Houston tonight against the Astros, who are 22-32, in last place in the American League West and have the worst record in the AL. But that doesn't tell the whole story. Houston has started to score plenty of runs and win games. The Astros have won five in a row, outscoring their opponents 34-10 in that stretch. As my friend Mark Viviano pointed out via Twitter, while the Orioles are 6-11 in their last 17 games, Houston is 11-6. The O's took two of...

Nationals right-hander Blake Treinen could see work out of the bullpen in the next couple of games after his start was rained out Tuesday, according to manager Matt Williams. Treinen said he is happy with any arrangement, as long as he gets a shot at pitching. "I am here to help in any way I can," Treinen said. "If the game gets delayed, I will throw in my next opportunity and I will make the most of it." But on Wednesday, the Nationals used six relievers in their marathon 10-inning 8-5...

The Nationals announced today that Tuesday's postponed game against the Marlins has been rescheduled for Sept. 26. The game will be played at 1:05 p.m. as part of a split doubleheader. Fans with tickets to the originally scheduled game against Miami on May 27 may use their original tickets on Sept. 26 for the 1:05 p.m. game, or they can exchange them for any 2014 regular season "regular" or "value" game. Because of the postponement on Tuesday, the Nats and Marlins will now be playing...